Apollos University

Graduation Ceremony 2009 Graduate Address

Presented by:

Mr. Huy Quang Nguyen, MBA

Apollos University, 2009 Graduate

Interpreted by:

Ms. Bich Thuy Thi Do, MBA

Apollos University, 2009 Graduate

Dear Dr. Paul Eidson, President and CEO

Dear Faculty, Honored Guests, Families, Friends, and Fellow Graduates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me start by saying that I am very proud and totally thrilled to be addressing you today on behalf of the students of Apollos University. In a few moments we shall receive our Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees and become the 2009 Apollos University Graduates. I guess that after the strain of final tests, credits and exams, not to mention the time-consuming course research papers, most of us are looking forward to this moment, when your studying is over, the degree is in your pocket and you are free to do what you like. But I want you to look around you and remember this moment. Look at your group-mates and your teachers, because from now on life will scatter us around the world, and most of us will meet only at alumni parties. Over a year and a half has passed so quickly but long enough for us to remember the ones who did a lot for us.

We the MBA graduates of 2009, on this day, would like to express our thanks to all of those who helped us overcome all the obstacles in our studies. We would like to thank Dr. Paul, who, with his wide knowledge of the course, has made a great impact on our studies. He was also an excellent lecturer who provided us with a lot of useful knowledge necessary for our academic courses in the school workshops.

We would like to thank Dr. Scott, a helpful but very strict teacher with the course of History of American Business, who helped us with the Orientation Course; thanks to it we knew about the AU Mission Statement, about the plagiarism that is a severe academic crime and not tolerated in American University, with the saying “Cheaters never win, and winners never cheat”, especially about all the requirements we needed to meet at the very first time we entered AU.

We would also like to thank Dr. Purnima with Legal and Ethical Issues in Business Course, who is known as the one that understands Asian students best. Thanks to all the teaching staff. You have been brilliant. Thanks to the administration and faculty of AU for their hard work and dedication on our behalf.

On a personal note, I would like to honor my Mom and Dad, who has gone, my older brother and younger sisters in the audience who encouraged me and supported me, and without whom this would not have been possible.

Fellow graduates,

We know from our time here, finishing an MBA course is very hard to do. We worked hard everyday. We studied hard, prepared research papers, attended classes and workshops, sat for exams, and did a lot of things to finish the course. We are now standing on the threshold of  real life (in fact, we have). From now on no one will give us an "A" or an "F" for well or poorly done homework and evaluate our progress. We are free to go our own way, and it will be absolutely different for everyone.

Some will continue their studies in the doctorate level and become university professors or economists. Others will rush to apply their skills and knowledge and may soon become successful businesspersons. Some of us will require time to think and will go traveling to learn more from real life before taking up a new job. Newton D. Baker said, “The man who graduates today and stops learning tomorrow is uneducated the day after.” So my first piece of advice for you is to learn more and learn forever and not to hesitate to step over the threshold of the door that is already open for us.

With the knowledge and friends we gained from our alma mater, Apollos University, we will overcome every obstacle. The main thing is to search hard for the job that you really like, and have persistence and faith. A favorite job is not found lying in the street, it should be looked after. But in the end it will be there for you, and you'll feel that it's your cup of tea as soon as you start it. Don't settle but keep looking.